Ham On Rye was the one where I think Buk achieved his peak. You never how much is the truth or hyperbole, but Ham strikes me as his most honest book as well.
Best Bukowski Novel (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter allnitewatchman
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Actually, Pulp is the one of his novels I haven't gotten around to reading. It seemed from reading the blurb and all out of his character.
Though, what you said about him wanting to write reminds me of a poem he did called So You Think You're A Writer (I think it's called). I think when he was going it would have been easy enough... But you can't say it was automatic. Personally, I think if he'd had more time he would have written more novels.
Though, what you said about him wanting to write reminds me of a poem he did called So You Think You're A Writer (I think it's called). I think when he was going it would have been easy enough... But you can't say it was automatic. Personally, I think if he'd had more time he would have written more novels.
Pulp is a great novel. It has Buk's humour written all over it; quick witty one liners, plenty of balls, etc. I laughed right through, even when he got bored and brought it all to a sudden end.. It's all one big joke! And I can imagine him at his desk writing it, smoking, drinking, thinking, 'yeah, fuck it, I'll put that in...'
Finally got hold of a Region two copy of barfly and it's not writer protect...but it cost me, so no, you go find your own. It's taken me years to seek the bastard out!
Finally got hold of a Region two copy of barfly and it's not writer protect...but it cost me, so no, you go find your own. It's taken me years to seek the bastard out!
Ham on Rye is my favourite book of Bukowski's. I definitely agree with allnitewatchman that with most of his books you can't tell what is exaggeration and boasting. With Ham on Rye though there seems to be just the honest-to-God warp of time on memory. Also, I have always been interested in an author's formative years.
Paul
Also, about barfly, I work in a video store that had a copy and I took it pretty quickly. That, and Factotum.
Paul
Also, about barfly, I work in a video store that had a copy and I took it pretty quickly. That, and Factotum.
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postino
It's a hard decision which is the best one, they're all good in different ways. I'd have to say Hollywood is my favorite, both gritty and decadent, with a coherent plot unlike his other novels. Followed closely by ham on rye, then the post office, because it's so raw, then factotum, women, and pulp.
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postino
He was dying of leukemia when he wrote it, so I doubt he was doing much of that.
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postino
Interesting choices. I thought Women was kind of flakey, and without much persistence in philosophy. The Post office was fresher, really good earlier Bukowski stuff. Women fell flat for me.
Domator
Founding member
Exactly.
And Women for me was good story from 70's. I like Bukowski from this years, you know, Love is a Dog from Hell etc.
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postino
Women's not terrible, but I do think that love is a dog from hell and his other poems are more indicative of his quality work during that period. That's why I put a poem from that book on my siggie.
Father Luke
Founding member
Right. Then his Operas, and Operettas.
ROC
It is what it is
Ha!
A Bukowski pop-up would be fucking excellent... all his well endowed women being chased by little smoking men with little bottles and towering bird creatures stomping around.
Scratch and sniff Bukowski books? That's just bloody disgusting! :D
Choose your own adventure - Poets die in...
The days run away like...
A Bukowski pop-up would be fucking excellent... all his well endowed women being chased by little smoking men with little bottles and towering bird creatures stomping around.
Scratch and sniff Bukowski books? That's just bloody disgusting! :D
Choose your own adventure - Poets die in...
- Steaming pots of shit
- Steaming pots of piss
- Steaming pots of pork dumplings
The days run away like...
The first novel i ever read from Buk was Factotum.I don't think it's his best work,but it remains my favorite.
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
I always loved the book Factotum and Post Office as my two favorite novels by Bukowski....
Father Luke
Founding member
Maybe we always have a place in our hearts for the first.
Ham on Rye was how I first met Mr. Henry Charles Bukowski.
Ham on Rye was how I first met Mr. Henry Charles Bukowski.
HenryChinaski
Founding member
Yep, read Post Office first. then Ham On Rye.
Just finished Ham On Rye and i think it's crept into my favorite.So hard to choose really.
Ahh, an old thread. I think that several other threads about best volumes of poetry are already out there, but as I can't be buggered to find them, I'll say it here:
1974 Burning in Water Drowning in Flame is excellent. It collects much of his out-of-print work from the 1960s along with some 1973-74 work. So, a nice collection of his earlier style mixing in with his middle period.
1981 Dangling in the Tournefortia is also very good. Middle period moving toward later period.
1986 You Get so Alone at Times it Just Makes Sense is very good; fewer words, just as much oommph.
1991 The Last Night of the Earth Poems is very good. Later period.
Hell, they're all good, some are just better than others. It really depends on what style of his you might prefer.
1974 Burning in Water Drowning in Flame is excellent. It collects much of his out-of-print work from the 1960s along with some 1973-74 work. So, a nice collection of his earlier style mixing in with his middle period.
1981 Dangling in the Tournefortia is also very good. Middle period moving toward later period.
1986 You Get so Alone at Times it Just Makes Sense is very good; fewer words, just as much oommph.
1991 The Last Night of the Earth Poems is very good. Later period.
Hell, they're all good, some are just better than others. It really depends on what style of his you might prefer.
CarversDog
RIP
For me, in order of preference:
1. Hollywood - a terrific take on the roman a clef genre
2. Pulp - another genre spin (the title says it all) and a very underrated Bukowski work
3. Factotum - an ode to the workingman's blues, gripping despite the redundant nature of the narrative
1. Hollywood - a terrific take on the roman a clef genre
2. Pulp - another genre spin (the title says it all) and a very underrated Bukowski work
3. Factotum - an ode to the workingman's blues, gripping despite the redundant nature of the narrative
'Burning In Water Drowning In Flame'
I agree with postino's sentiment about liking them all for different reasons. The novels have all been so important to me for different reasons that it is difficult to separate my feeling at the time from my sense of the books. With that said, I'd have to say that Factotum had and has the greatest impact on me.
Women, by far. such a good novel.
Butttttt for short stories Hot Water Music was ace. I liked that one a lot.
Read it in two days.
Hollywood is good.
Gosh, all of em are good.
But out of the ones I've read, Ham on Rye, Post Office, Women, Hollywood, Hot Water Music and Pulp.
I gotta go with Women as the best.
Butttttt for short stories Hot Water Music was ace. I liked that one a lot.
Read it in two days.
Hollywood is good.
Gosh, all of em are good.
But out of the ones I've read, Ham on Rye, Post Office, Women, Hollywood, Hot Water Music and Pulp.
I gotta go with Women as the best.
Thanks for the help everyone. I am going to get started on his poetry, right after I can find a copy of "Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame." Can't wait...
Also, this may have been posted, but what does everyone think about "Septuagenarian Stew?" I just bought it and wondered what to expect before I begin reading it...
Also, this may have been posted, but what does everyone think about "Septuagenarian Stew?" I just bought it and wondered what to expect before I begin reading it...
Poetry: The Roominghouse Madrigals rocks. One of my faves of all Buk's works... Always wanted to be a madrigalist - but never made it...living in the wrong century and all...
Bukfan
"The law is wrong; I am right"
"Septuagenarian Stew" has many great poems in it. Some of the short stories are great too, such as f.ex., "Bring Me Your Love". It's a good book! I think you'll enjoy it...
Pulp's hilarious, the scene with the guy (Groover?) sitting at his desk for five minutes in silence because they both thought the other was going to speak... brilliant. I imagine it will be a lot of people's least favourite because it's more fictional than his other works, but it could well be my favourite. Read it in about two sittings.
By the way, Barfly is on YouTube these days, in several languages.
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